Finish this, Shepard, and find me
by cassie.hack
Summary: Shepard has a promise to keep. And what are a few burns and broken bones if you've got a former Cerberus operative waiting for you?
1. Chapter 1

**"Finish this, Shepard. And find me."**

.

* * *

___A/N: Just felt like writing some kind of end-of-the-world one-shot... must be the stormy weather outside... This could be seen as set between "Still trying..." and "The days...", but you don't need to read them to get this one-shot, nor will you miss out on anything if you don't read this one... You've been warned... :)_

* * *

Shepard gasped. She shot up, but the pain shooting through her entire body at the movement let her fall back into the pile of rubble behind her, groaning. She blinked and carefully lifted one of her arms to rub the dirt out of her face, enabling her to scan her surroundings. Not that there was a lot to see in the first place... The destruction around her was devastating, but compared to the sound of the war that had surrounded her and her team on their way through London, it was almost quiet and peaceful now. The cracking of a fire here and there, but other than that... only death.

She started another attempt to rise and this time, as she was careful to move as slowly as possible, she was able to reach a sitting position. Taking a deep breath and immediately wincing as a fit of coughing shook her entire form, she ground her teeth and waited until the fire in her lungs and down her throat had somewhat settled. She groaned once more as she shoved a large chunk of rock off her right leg, taking deep, slow breaths to make the black dots popping up in her vision vanish. She scanned her surroundings once more as she pushed herself off the pile of rubble and crawled forward on her hands and knees. There, in the distance, she could see a smoking body... _Medi-gel!_

* * *

Miranda angrily shoved her way past a group of soldiers who'd gathered near the entrance of a makeshift clinic tent. Some of the soldiers turned their heads as she pushed them aside and she could have sworn she even heard one of them whistle as she passed (_Ugh, men! Present them with the possible destruction of the entire galaxy but they still turn their heads at every ass walking by..._), but she didn't have the time to turn around and break some of his bones, there were more pressing matters at the moment...

She finally reached her destination and entered the communication barrack, evading a turian storming out of it.

"What the hell happened?"

One of the men in front of her raised his head from his omni-tool and shrugged. "We don't know that yet. All communication was suddenly cut."

"What happened to Shepard? What about her team?" Miranda balled her fists so that the nails dug into her palms, trying to relieve at least some of the tension in her body that way. The man shook his head and lowered his gaze, tapping more controls into his omni-tool.

"As I said: We don't know that yet," he murmured.

* * *

_Ah, shit!_ Shepard ground her teeth as she stared at the broken casing of the medi-gel unit she'd found on the dead marine's body. The salve was still leaking out of the cracked casing, decimating its content rapidly, but still, it was better than nothing... She leaned back and inspected her wounds, deciding which one she should take care of first... Her leg hurt, probably broken, and her face felt like it was still swelling up, but those wounds weren't fatal... Neither were her burnt arms, but hell, did they hurt! She took a deep breath, the sharp pain in her abdomen bringing her attention back to the task at hand. There, at her side, was a gashing wound, the blood still spilling out of it and coloring the ground below her in a dark red. _That damn marauder!_ She turned the medi-gel unit and smeared the remaining gel on the wound, immediately hissing as the cool gel set to work, itching and pulling at her flesh, the anaesthetic quickly doing its job of numbing the area around the wound. It wasn't enough, but turning her head, she could see at least a dozen more bodies lying around. She sighed. That would keep her occupied for a while...

* * *

"I need to go there!"

The soldier rubbed the nape of his neck as he shook his head. "No way, lady. As long as we don't know what happened, all vehicles will stay here. We can't spare anything right now!"

Miranda's eyes narrowed. "You _will_ let me take one of those makos behind you! I'm not even asking for your men, I'll go there myself, I just need your bloody mako to get there!"

He shrugged, unimpressed. "Can't do. Do you even know how far away they are? Lady, if you'd have wanted to hop from destination to destination within seconds, you should have stayed on board the ship that dropped you off an hour ago... The vehicles will stay here and so will you! There's nothing you can do about that right now. If you want to help: there are a lot of soldiers that need your help more than... whoever it is you're trying to find out there..."

Miranda's lips thinned and she considered smashing the man's head against a nearby wall, but there had been enough casualties today and there were bound to be more... Shooting him another angry glare, she turned on her heels and stormed away. Maybe she'd steal one of the makos tonight...

* * *

_Damn it, I'm sick of this! I've had it! _Shepard crawled forward, trying her hardest not to let the wound on her side scrape across the ground, pulling her weight with her burnt arms. Her eyes narrowed. _I am _so_ over this! The next time they need someone to save the entire damn galaxy, they can do it themselves!_

The hint of a smile spread across her face while she leaned against the next body, applying the new-found medi-gel on her wound. _Heh, I'd have loved to see Councilor Tevos or Valern make a run for the beam..._

While the medi-gel set to work once again, she took another deep breath and leaned against the smoking body with her back. She scanned her surroundings once more. The smoke had started to clear the more she'd crawled away from the pile of debris she'd woken up on. From where she was sitting now, she could even make out some destroyed houses... The pain in her leg got worse and she groaned once more, closed her eyes and leaned backwards, resting her head on the corpse's stomach. He wouldn't mind...

_'Guys, guess what I found out... There are these ancient machines called the Reapers and they'll come to wipe out all intelligent life in the galaxy. You don't believe me? Oh, that's fine, I'll just travel across the entire galaxy to find more evidence, why don't you just wait on your fat asses while I risk mine trying to convince you?'_

Feeling the exhaustion threaten to overtake her, Shepard clenched her teeth as she pushed herself off of the corpse and crawled forward, toward the ruins in front of her.

_'Guys, I just sacrificed 304,942 batarians to postpone the Reaper invasion. That should give you time to prepare for their arrival... What's that? You didn't prepare? Oh, that's fine, why don't you just let me handle this and drag your asses out of the mess once more?'_

Shepard gave a short laugh as she crawled past a smoking mako. Only seconds later, she roared through her still clenched teeth as her broken leg grazed one of the mako's tires and new pain shot through her body. _Shepard do this, Shepard do that... 'Commander Shepard, my pyjak got stuck in my skycar's engine, could you get him out of there without damaging the vehicle or killing my pet?' 'Shepard, I totally need my grandma's hair-band. Could you travel to a deserted planet with toxic atmosphere and get it for me? It should be in a cave filled with rachnis... or was it husks?'_

She finally reached the nearest house and crawled through the destroyed entrance door, not caring about the damaged door control's sparks hitting her already burnt skin. She pulled herself up at a nearby table and sat down on a chair, looking around the room. _Cozy..._

* * *

3 days later...  
**  
**

"Everything within the beam's immediate radius is destroyed. No survivors so far."

Miranda tightened her grip on the chair she was leaning on. A few other soldiers and doctors were standing in the room with her, all focusing on the voice coming from a slightly damaged terminal. After the first confusion, it was decided to send a small scouting group to Shepard's last known location to find out what had happened. Since they hadn't been able to reach Admiral Hackett yet, Anderson and Shepard were the next logical contacts in the chain of command... Or so Miranda had convinced the people now surrounding her, not feeling the slightest bit guilty about the self-interest in that proposition...

"There's a trail of blood. It looks like someone crawled or was dragged away, but it's hard to tell with all the dust and dead bodies lying around..." the voice continued over the comm.

Miranda's heart skipped a beat. _That could be her. If anyone would have managed to survive this, it's her!_

"No survivors to be found here. We'll spread out to the nearby buildings."

* * *

A sound made Shepard shoot up in bed. Even though she still felt a bit light-headed from the remaining medi-gel still pumping through her veins, her trained senses were immediately on alert. She swung her legs out of the bed, pausing momentarily to wait for the dizziness to vanish before she got up. So far, her body never had to deal with that high amount of medi-gel being smeared all over it...

She didn't know how long she'd stayed, but the (strangely enough almost completely filled) medi-gel stash she'd found in the kitchen had convinced her to stay in this house... There was another sound, voices this time. They were still in the distance, but they were bound to come closer eventually... Shepard silently thanked her instinct that had told her not to stay in the first house she'd entered. Instead, she'd searched a couple of the houses nearest to the destroyed beam for anything useful and had settled for one of the most intact houses, surrounded by ruins that didn't obscure her view and with enough exits in case of a quick escape, which seemed to be necessary now...

She grabbed an old leather jacket she'd found in one of the houses and carefully stepped closer to one of the wide, open windows. As expected, she could make out a group of soldiers just exiting one of the houses nearby. There was still time... Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the emblem on their armor. They were Alliance, but that didn't matter... She wasn't ready to face the galaxy just yet. She didn't care about medals or statues and she was tired of hearing everyone's accusations, asking her why she hadn't done more, why she hadn't saved who-knows-who (her knuckles still needed time to heal before they could collide with Al-Jilani's chin once more). And she damn well wasn't willing to take up her job as the galaxy's favorite living sacrifice again!

She turned away from the window, grabbed the pistol from under her pillow and swung the bag she'd already prepared for an occasion like this over her shoulder.

"...done with the first few houses. No survivors yet. We'll continue our search."

Shepard let her eyes wander over the room once more. The torn uniform she'd peeled herself out of as soon as she'd found new clothes was still lying in one of the room's corners, but she didn't care if they found it. They could have it, it was the only thing they'd see from her for the next time... She turned her head to the window once more and saw them entering the next building. She smiled as she pulled the zipper of her jacket up and left the bedroom. They'd be too late...

* * *

"...done with the first few houses. No survivors yet. We'll continue our search."

_Damn it! She can't have just vanished!_

Miranda raised her head and saw the man who'd denied her to take a mako three days ago shaking his head. "What if there is nothing? What if everyone died? We should focus on reaching other outposts instead of wasting our time trying to-"

He was cut off as Miranda shoved him against a nearby wall, her forearm pressing against his throat and her eyes gleaming with fury. "If Commander Shepard is alive, we need to find her! She saved all our bloody asses and as long as I don't see her dead body, I won't believe that she's dead!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

The man choked and clawed at her arm before she took a step back and let him fall to the ground, gasping hectically. Miranda met everyone's eyes in the room, daring them to object, but all the men and women surrounding her evaded her glare.

"We found clothing. Looks like a uniform," the voice over the comm informed, making all heads turn back to the terminal. "Can't say how long it's been here and who it belonged to. It's torn and burnt."

_It could be hers!_ Miranda shot forward and activated the comm on the terminal. "Are there any insignias? Anything that could tell us who it belonged to?" she burst out.

There was silence before the comm cracked again. "As I said, it's too damaged to make out anything like that... I can't even tell if it belonged to a man or a woman... a soldier or..."

Miranda roared and pushed herself off the terminal. She was about to unleash a biotic push as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it's best if you wait outside, Miss." The female doctor smiled at her and let her hand slide down, placing it on Miranda's back as she pulled her with her towards the exit.

"What if it's hers? What if she's been there?" she murmured weakly. The woman patted her back as they left the building.

"We don't know that, Miss."

Miranda heard one of the men in the room activate the comm as soon as she'd left the building. He sighed and then ordered, "Abort the mission. Return to this outpost..." Quieter, he added, "And bring everything useful you can find along the way with you. We need it here..."

* * *

Two years later...

Miranda's eyes were fixed on the drink in front of her. Her hand turned the glass absent-mindedly while she contemplated its content. She didn't even remember what she'd ordered or how many drinks she'd had before this one... Despite the bar's lousy interior, the asari barmaid seemed intent on cleaning her table after every single drink Miranda'd had, taking the empty glasses with her and thus making it impossible for her to keep count. Not that she'd have cared about doing so, anyway...

She let her eyes wander around. Right after the necessary hospitals and communication centers had been rebuilt, shady bars like this one had followed swiftly. Miranda huffed. It seemed the entire galaxy still had its priorities...

There wasn't much known about the _how_, but the Reaper threat seemed to have been dealt with and the only person who could know the answer had vanished...

Miranda raised the glass and downed the drink in one gulp, trying to ignore the sharp pain that had started again at the thought.

"Is this seat taken?"

Miranda raised her head and tried to focus on the person standing in front of her. A man with curled hair and a beard smiled at her, but Miranda waved her hand dismissively.

"Yes, it is. Your ability to notice when you're unwelcome just left for a bathroom break, but I'm sure it will return soon..." Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. "Now get lost!"

The man's smile vanished and he raised his hands. "I'm just saying... maybe you shouldn't be sitting in a place like this all by yourself while downing one drink after the other..."

Miranda snorted and ran a hand through her hair, regaining her balance by quickly propping her chin in the palm of her free hand. She grinned at him. "I can take care of myself," she announced proudly, slurring only slightly. As if to prove her point, she raised one of her hands and let her biotics flicker around it. Her brows furrowed. In her mind, that gesture had looked a lot more threatening... In reality, the graceful flicker she'd imagined turned into weak, sputtering flames that quickly vanished. _Huh, never had _that_ problem before..._ she mused as she contemplated her hand.

The man standing in front of her table gave a short laugh. "That's what I thought..." He leaned closer, placing a hand on the table for support as he lowered his voice, "Listen, I'm just saying you should be careful no one follows you out of the bar when you leave... I can count at least six men looking in your direction every other minute." He straightened up. "If you need someone to bring you home, I'm at the bar..."

"Pfft..." Miranda waved her hand dismissively and the man nodded and walked away, heading to the bar just like he'd announced, shooting warning glares at some of the patrons as he passed their tables.

Miranda slumped back in her chair, leaning her head on the chair's backrest and inspecting the bar's ceiling. Only seconds later, the asari barmaid appeared in her vision and smiled at her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Can I get you anything else, babe?"

Miranda simply nodded and the barmaid took the empty glass, wiping the table with the cloth in her free hand before she left.

* * *

After three more drinks (or were it five?), Miranda got bored of staring at the ceiling and she couldn't stand another song from the quarian band playing in one of the bar's corners. The alcohol had stopped the thoughts racing through her mind (which had been the only purpose she'd ordered that many drinks in the first place) and she decided that it was time for her to leave. She staggeringly got up from her chair and shoved past the at least ten pairs of hands offering their support on her way out. She turned her head to smack a very persistent hand off her backside and as she turned back to the door, her head was suddenly buried in a warm fabric, obviously belonging to the person she'd just ran into... She closed her eyes for a second and inhaled deeply, involuntarily leaning on the other person for support. The smell of leather surrounded her, but there was something else... Something familiar...

Her eyes flew open and she took a stumbling step backwards, immediately losing her balance and deciding to let herself fall forward into the stranger's arms again instead of backwards into a horde of waiting hands, ready to grope her once more.

"Don't worry, I've got you."

That voice... Miranda didn't dare looking up as the stranger supported her on their way out of the bar, too scared to get her hope destroyed like so many times before whenever she'd seen red hair... _Red hair..._ She paused and inhaled the cool night's air outside of the club, still keeping her eyes on the ground. The stranger's arm remained protectively swung around her midsection when the woman suddenly gave a short laugh.

"Well, well, Ms. Lawson... I certainly never thought I'd find you in an establishment like this..." the now _very_ familiar voice teased.

Miranda's heart skipped a beat and her breathing stopped for a second before she swung her arms around the woman's neck and buried her head in the soft leather once more. Now that she knew for sure whose scent it was, she inhaled it deeply like a drowning person.

"You ass..." she mumbled weakly against Shepard's neck, smiling.

* * *

_A/N: Gotta love those medi-gel & ammo stashes everywhere... :) As always: I don't really care about the ending itself, which "solution" Shepard chose, etc. and I just assumed that Miri would be somewhere on Earth when it all happened. As for the other squad members: I'm sure they were all picked up by a pink unicorn and brought to safety... ;)  
I'm kinda tempted to add another chapter to describe what happened in those two years, not sure yet... Anyway, thanks for reading!  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Heh, you're right, Ines... Having a drunk Miranda would be too good to pass up... Thanks a lot, that's exactly why I love reviews... they always point out stuff I'd miss otherwise... :) You'll still have to wait for the drunk Miranda part, though... Flashbacks first and wow, I got depressed just writing them, but I just had to go with what came to my mind... Just keep in mind that it'll all be good in the end, we already know that...  
I also decided to keep the parts short, I hope it doesn't get too confusing when I jump from scene to scene but it would just get too long if I'd go into detail and it's not much fun to write about those dark times... You also don't have to pay that much attention to the time that passes, no idea if that would even make sense for all this stuff to happen in such a short time, but who cares... :)  
_

* * *

"You ass..."

There was a short silence before Miranda's fist collided with Shepard's ribs. "That's for making me wait two bloody years!"

* * *

Two years ago...

"Miss? Miss, are you all right?" The woman rubbed Miranda's back, a concerned look on her face. Miranda raised her head but evaded the doctor's eyes. She leaned back on the destroyed building and closed her eyes momentarily to collect her thoughts. All those people wouldn't help her. They were too confused, too unorganized. They'd rather wait for help... she couldn't afford to wait. Not if Shepard was out there and needed her help... And she _was_ still out there! She couldn't have just... died... _No!_

Her eyes flew open and they fell on the now unprotected Makos standing not far away from her... She turned her head to the woman still standing next to her and forced a smile. "I'm fine, thank you." She ran a hand through her hair. "I think I just needed some fresh air..." Nodding towards the building they'd just left, she added, "I'll be fine, really. I think I'll get some water and then return to the wounded to see how I can help."

The woman nodded, obviously pleased with her reaction and turned back to the building. As soon as she was out of sight, Miranda's eyes narrowed as she scanned her surroundings. She was alone... With a devilish smile on her face, she approached the invitingly unprotected vehicles...

* * *

Just like the scouting party before, it took Miranda about two days to reach her destination. Luckily, she'd been present when the soldiers had been sent off, which meant she'd memorized the way there as it had been explained to them.

She finally stopped the Mako and got out, thankful for the solid ground underneath her feet again. She shot a blackwards glance at the vehicle, silently wondering how Shepard had been able to drive that thing during her missions on the original Normandy. It handled like a drunk rhino...

Taking a deep breath (and regretting it as soon as she inhaled the odor surrounding her now), she took a few steps towards the now silent battlefield. It didn't take long for her to realize how pointless this idea was, however... She stopped, turning her head from side to side in hopes of any clue telling her what had happened to Shepard, but just like the scouting party before her, she couldn't make out anything that could help her. There was blood, but it could be anyone's. There were bodies, but they could be- _No!_

She shook her head vehemently and scanned her surroundings once more, but what she saw only made her shudder. This was where Shepard had been, where she'd fought and where she definitely had been injured... She may have been enhanced, but no one could walk away from a battlefield like this unscathed...

Her eyes fell on the nearby ruins and she felt a sting in her chest at the sudden hopelessness washing over her. _Where is she?_

* * *

The shuttle shook and jolted Shepard out of her doze. She blinked and straightened up on her bench, looking around her. She'd joined the first group of refugees she'd come across and had managed to get on a shuttle flying them to a shelter. So far, she'd been able to hide without being recognized, probably due to the dirt still covering her face and clothes... And the general confusion and fear all around her probably did the rest... People had other things to worry about right now...

A turian next to her started caughing, sending a sharp pain through her chest as she remembered Garrus. He and Liara had accompanied her during her run to the beam, but as soon as she'd seen how hopeless their run would turn out to be, she'd turned around, shouting and motioning at her squad to go back to one of the still waiting Makos behind them before she'd continued her run towards the blinding light.

She leaned forward on her bench, contemplating her hands. All she could do was hope that they'd been able to get into safety and hadn't followed her... No, they hadn't! She'd have seen them on the battlefield on her way to the buildings. She felt a flutter in her stomach. They could have made it... They could still be alive... She had to believe it. She needed at least some hope to cling to...

The turian next to her had stopped coughing and rested his head back on the shuttle wall. Shepard looked up from her hands and noticed a small asari child crawling towards her on the shuttle's ground. A smile spread across her face as the asari sat down in front of her and inspected her boots (the only part of her old armor she'd kept), drumming her tiny little hands on them and squeeking happily as Shepard started pulling them out of her reach and back within her reach.

"Neala, come here."

Shepard raised her head and saw a krogan motioning the asari to come back. The small asari turned her head to Shepard, smiled at her once more and then crawled to what Shepard assumed was her father.

Shepard followed the asari with her eyes, still smiling. Yes, they would be all right. There was still hope...

* * *

It was hopeless! Against her better judgment, Miranda had still decided to search some of the nearby houses by herself. The soldiers before her had stopped their search, maybe they had missed something, some kind of clue... or so she'd hoped... Now, three hours later, she was standing next to the Mako again, leaning heavily against it. She hadn't found anything. Or maybe she'd found something without realizing it... It was impossible to tell. Her head hurt from all those moments her heart had skipped a beat at a knocked over chair, wondering if Shepard had sat on it, unkempt beds making her wonder if Shepard had slept in them...

But she had to admit how pointless her search was... Even if Shepard had been here, she wasn't anymore. She was gone. What did it matter if she was dead or alive? She wouldn't find her in this bloody place and it would be almost impossible to find her on this bloody destroyed planet. She could be anywhere...

She sighed and turned her head. There was no point returning to the camp... By now, they must have figured out who'd stolen the vehicle and there was nothing waiting for her back there anyway...

After another sigh, she turned and crawled back into the Mako's seat. She'd been on the run before when she'd saved her sister from her father, she could do it again. She could just disappear...

_Ori..._

No, she couldn't leave without knowing her sister was safe! She activated her omni-tool and after a few commands, her sister's location blinked at her in the dimmed interior of the Mako. There was no way she would have left her little sister without knowing about her exact location at every second... Oriana was still on board the Alliance ship she'd left her, that was a good sign. They were bound to land on Earth sooner or later and when they did, she'd be there...

* * *

Twenty months ago...

Shepard shot a quick sideglance over her shoulder but the street behind her was still empty. She turned back to the door which opened that moment with a hiss, followed by a gasp from the person on the other side. Shepard smiled. So the address she'd beaten out of the Shadow Broker operative had been correct... _Sorry, Murat..._

"By the Goddess!"

"Liara, I need your help..."

* * *

There she was... Miranda's heart skipped a beat when she spotted her sister exiting the ship's airlock, turning her head from side to side as if searching for someone. No, not someone... For her. As much as it pained her, as much as Miranda wanted to mourn Shepard, but it wasn't just about her anymore. She had a sister to take care of... She took a step forward and started shoving through the crowd of waiting people in front of her...

* * *

Liara's mouth was still open, but she quickly took a step back and let Shepard enter. She locked the door behind her and placed a hand on Shepard's back as if to reassure her that the commander was real while she led her into the apartment's living room.

Even with the devastation of the Reaper attack all around her, Liara wouldn't be Liara if she hadn't managed to quickly get in contact with a few of her remaining agents as soon as the communication systems had been somewhat restored. It hadn't taken her long to find this apartment in one of the still intact places on Earth. As cruel as it may have been, but most of Earth's properties were available right now and nobody cared about credits at the moment... As soon as she'd found this safe place to stay, she'd started setting up as many terminals as possible, working day and night to get in contact with her agents and maybe someday be able to find her friends scattered around the planet... She smiled. There was one friend less to worry about as it seemed...

Shepard paused as soon as she noticed that she and Liara weren't alone in the apartment. Shiala quickly got up from the couch and smiled at her shyly. The commander returned the smile and then turned back to Liara, the asari's cheeks darkening immediately.

"We... we met not long after..." she stammered, evading Shepard's eyes. The commander nodded, the amused smile still on her face.

She raised her hands. "I won't keep you long, I promise. I'll be gone as soon as-"

"No!" Liara grabbed Shepard's arm and shook her head vehemently. "You're welcome as long as you wish to stay." Quieter, she added, "We meant to come back..." A tear ran down her cheek and she bit her lower lip at the memory...

* * *

_Garrus held Liara back as soon as he'd seen Shepard's command. She looked up and saw the turian's pained expression, obviously still not sure whether they should follow her or her order... But he didn't even have time to regret his decision, because only seconds later, a glaring light coming from the beam surrounded them, drowning out everything around them._

_"No!" Liara couldn't even tell if a tone had left her lips or if the impact from the shockwave had forced all the air out of her lungs and her scream had been a mere thought..._

_When they opened their eyes again, all they could see was destruction. It seemed like for a second, the entire world stood still, nothing moved... Liara crawled back to her feet, offering her hand to help Garrus, but before they could take even one step towards the still silent battlefield, they were surrounded by hands pulling them away. Slowly, sounds started to return and surround them as the movement around them grew. They both pushed against the arms dragging them away from Shepard, but the previous fight had finally taken its toll on them... Soon enough, they gave up their efforts as exhaustion took over. All they could do was watch the still smoking battlefield become smaller and smaller behind them..._

* * *

Liara felt Shepard's hand on her shoulder and she raised her head again. "You did the right thing," Shepard spoke softly, closing her arms around her friend while the asari sobbed into her shoulder.

* * *

"So, this is where we'll stay?" Oriana curiously looked around the room. It wasn't much and it certainly wasn't large, but it was safe. Miranda had made sure of that. The smaller their place was, the easier it was for her to protect her sister.

"For now." Miranda nodded, still standing in the doorway as she watched her sister absent-mindedly.

Oriana turned to her. "What's wrong?"

Miranda felt the sharp pain again, but she bit her lower lip and forced herself to answer. "Nothing. I'll..." She turned. "I'll go and make sure no one has followed us. I'll see if I can find something to eat, too. Just stay here until I get back and don't open the door for anyone else but me." Nodding towards the bed, she added, "There's a pistol under the pillow. Use it if you must."

Without waiting for her sister's response, she turned and left the apartment, making sure the door was properly locked before she climbed down the stairs. She didn't want to leave her sister alone in that apartment, but she definitely didn't want to take her along to where she was headed...

* * *

"I need to find her..."

Liara nodded as she sat down at one of her terminals, Shepard leaning on the chair and looking over her shoulder. "It won't be easy," Liara started, her eyes narrowing as she scrolled through files popping up on the monitor in front of her. "But I'll see what I can do. I am already monitoring the lists from refugee camps, but so far, no one we know has turned up." She paused and turned her head to Shepard, smiling. "Or maybe they've all used aliases, just like our great Commander Shepard..."

Shepard shrugged. "What's wrong with Jane Smith?"

* * *

"Need anything else?"

Miranda nodded and pointed at a bottle of foreign liquor standing on the windowsill of a destroyed house behind the salarian "shop keeper" she'd found in a dark alley. She'd observed his dealings for quite a while now, just to be sure. But the only thing he seemed to be interested in were credits, whatever good they'd do him now... She didn't really care. If there was one thing she had enough of, it was money and she was more than willing to pay double the price for any food and liquor he sold if that meant she didn't have to search the streets for another seller that didn't expect her to pay with her body. Not that she'd ever do that... She'd rather smash someone's head and take his goods, but where would that lead, if anyone would just start killing and raiding? It may be the end of the world, but Miranda Lawson sure as hell wouldn't lower herself to that savage level! Not yet, anyway...

She paid the salarian and grabbed the purchased cans and the liquor bottle. Once she'd turned the corner, she leaned against the wall of a nearby house and opened the bottle, taking a large gulp. She closed her eyes while the liquid ran down her throat.

She took a deep breath. _Oriana must be hungry..._

She'd return to their apartment, she just needed one more minute... She sighed, taking another large gulp without opening her eyes. Or maybe two...

* * *

One year ago...

"...is it my great pleasure to honor all our fallen comrades, loved ones, daughters, sons..."

Miranda turned her head away from Admiral Hackett standing next to a large monument that was still covered. It wouldn't be long until he'd present the memorial representing all they had lost in this devastating war, but Miranda didn't need to see it to know it wouldn't help with the pain... They were still rebuilding parts of Earth while at the same time, right here, right now, people were acting like it all had happened many years ago, celebrating their "victory" with a meaningless symbol... The sudden sharp sting in her chest brought her back to reality and she blinked, looking around her. What was she even doing here? Hoping for closure? Comfort? Had she expected to find Shepard standing next to Admiral Hackett, proudly smiling at the crowd while she got some more medals to decorate her armor with? This was just as pointless as it had been to visit this battlefield she was now standing on once again...

She turned on her heels and started shoving through the group of people gathered around her, their eyes still fixed on the ceremony taking place in front of them. Once outside the crowd, she had to lean forward and take a few deep breaths, being suddenly overwhelmed by dizziness. She needed to get out of here! She needed a drink! Straightening up again, she took another deep breath and started to walk away, oblivious to the pair of blue eyes following her...

* * *

Shepard pushed herself off the flagpole she'd been leaning on while watching the ceremony from a distance and followed the raven-haired woman who hastily disappeared behind a building. Shepard turned the corner and... found an empty street in front of her. Turning her head from side to side, her eyes scanned her surroundings but Miranda was gone. She sighed. It was pointless to search the streets and buildings around her. Shepard knew, that, if Miranda wanted to disappear, she could... But why? Had she seen her? Had she thought she'd been stalked by some stranger? Shepard took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair... and paused. Her hair! Shepard groaned. Once she'd cleaned herself of the dirt in the refugee camp, she'd had to find another way to hide her identity and secretly, she'd always wondered how black hair would look on her... Her scars were another matter. Since she'd kept to herself for the most part this last year, except for Liara and Shiala's company, of course (which meant no fights, no arguments, no swearing), they had started to heal lightly. She wasn't a complete stranger to people who knew her, but from the distance and for an already paranoid person...

Shepard cursed herself under her breath, deciding to wash the color out of her hair as soon as she got back, even if it meant to stay in the shower for an entire day. Maybe she'd even punch an innocent civilian on her way back to Liara's apartment to make her scars gleam again...

She took another deep breath and turned. She couldn't be discouraged by this... She'd seen Miranda, she was close and she was still alive, which had already put a couple of her concerns to rest. Shepard buried her hands in her jeans' pockets and lowered her head as she passed the crowd on her way back to Liara. She'd already found her once, she'd find her again...

* * *

"...without her, nothing of this would have even been possible. So it is my great honor, to reveal our memorial wall together with Commander Jane Shepard."

Admiral Hackett took a step back to make room for Shepard on the makeshift podium, smiling proudly while his eyes searched for the commander.

The applause stopped as even after a couple of minutes, no commander had entered the podium. The silence that followed was broken only by a few nervous coughs. Admiral Hackett's eyes shot from side to side but Shepard was gone... He cleared his throat, cursing under his breath. "That's it, we're confiscating her fish!"

* * *

Six months ago...

"And you're sure you don't want to come along?"

Miranda evaded Oriana's concerned eyes and nodded. "Yes, it's better this way."

Oriana's silence caused Miranda to finally raise her eyes and she forced a smile as she pulled her sister into a hug. "You'll be fine. There are more exciting things than living with your sister in a two-room apartment for months, trust me..."

Oriana gave a short laugh but still clung to her sister.

Miranda ran a soothing hand through Oriana's hair. It needed to be done. So far, she'd managed to take care of her sister, but Oriana needed hope. She needed an enviroment that could give her the hope that everything would be all right again and Miranda couldn't give her that... Not anymore...

Oriana finally took a step back and smiled at her weakly, running over her eyes with the back of her hand. "If you don't call me every night..." she threatened and the smile finally reached Miranda's eyes as she nodded.

"I promise."

"You better!" Oriana shot a backwards glance at the waiting shuttle, ready to bring her and a few other selected (and wealthy) people to a new-built town, far away from the dirt and danger still present in the streets here... And if there should be any problems at her new home, Oriana would find the gun Miranda had hidden in the bag she'd packed for her sister soon enough...

A smile spread across Oriana's face as she added, "And I'll tell you all about the boys I meet there..." Miranda rolled her eyes. "I think I saw Danner getting into the shuttle a couple of minutes ago..."

Miranda's eyes widened. _Not that guy again! _"Are you sure it was him?"

Oriana winked at her but didn't answer as she turned and entered the shuttle, the gleaming in her eyes giving Miranda exactly the answer she'd feared. She sighed. _Of all people..._

The shuttle took off and Miranda waited until it was out of sight, just like all the other people (mostly parents) around her. But unlike them, Miranda wasn't headed home just yet... She could have sworn she'd seen a bar around here...

* * *

Liara sped into the living room of her apartment, waving a datapad and handing it to Shepard. The commander raised her head from the cards in her hand and scrolled through the datapad, thankful for the interruption before Shiala won even the rest of Shepard's posessions... Who'd have thought that she knew how to play cards and was _very_ good at it? Or maybe she'd rummaged through Shepard's thoughts without her noticing, you never knew with asari...

"I found her sister! According to these files, she's now in one of those new towns being built all over the planet..."

"Those snob-villages...?" Shepard snorted. "Figures..." She scrolled through the file some more. "It says here that she was alone..." she mused and Liara's smile turned sad.

"Yes, Miranda wasn't with her, but she was the one who paid for her sister's transport. And a woman matching her description rented an apartment near the landing zone a couple of months ago..."

Shepard's head shot up. "Did you...?"

Liara nodded, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I sent agents there immediately, but it was empty by the time they arrived..." She squeezed Shepard's shoulder softly. "It's still a lead..."

Shepard dropped the datapad down on the table, burying her head in her hands. "Damn it! With her sister gone, she could be anywhere right now..."

* * *

Four months ago...

"How is she doing?" Shiala stepped behind Liara and rested her head on her shoulder.

Liara turned away from the door to their living room and shook her head. "She sleeps a lot... I think the waiting has finally taken its toll on her. I fear she might lose her hope..."

Shiala nodded, looking at the sleeping commander on their couch, a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy lying next to her.

"It can't be easy..." Shiala whispered, carefully closing the door. "We need to find her! Isn't there anyone else who could help us?"

* * *

"You're new here, aren't you?"

Miranda shrugged, never taking her eyes off the glass in front of her as she downed its content.

The asari barmaid smiled at her. "You don't look like our normal customers..." she stated.

"You mean the drunk, sweaty and smelly aliens staring at my ass?"

"For example, yes." The asari shrugged. "But there's something else... You seem... I don't know... familiar..."

* * *

Present...

"She's there right now!"

Shepard's head (her hair back to its original color again) rose from the couch she'd been lying on as Liara burst into the room. "You sure?" she asked, still a bit groggy from her nap.

Liara nodded. "My father just called. She's there right now and by the looks of it, she's intent on staying there for a while..."

A smile spread across Shepard's face. Miranda Lawson getting wasted in a sleazy bar... The world was full of surprises...

"Are you going to get up or should I help you by throwing your lazy backside out of the apartment with my biotics?" Liara placed a hand on her hip, her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, all right, all right. I'm on it..." Shepard crawled off the couch and straightened, searching the room for her leather jacket. "You said she'll be there for a while, no need to hurry..."

Liara shook her head in disbelief as she watched the commander rummage through her living room. She cleared her throat loudly. "Maybe I forgot to mention that your _girlfriend_ is sitting in a sleazy bar filled with _drunk_ _men_, trying to get as drunk as possible herself and my father still has to work and can't keep her eyes on her at all times..." she added, finally satisfied with the result of her words.

Shepard sped past her and was out of the door before it had even opened entirely, storming down the street outside the house loudly.

Liara shook her head, but smiled as she felt Shiala's arms snake around her midsection. "You'd think she doesn't even realize what's at stake... that young thing..." she murmured, resting her head on Shiala's shoulder. "All this lying around on our couch has definitely made her lazy..." She sighed. "I blame the brandy..."

* * *

"Ow! I just saved you from a horde of horny aliens back there!" Shepard exclaimed, rubbing her aching side.

"If you'd have moved your bloody ass sooner to search for me, I wouldn't have been in there in the first place, forced to drink this bloody awful liquor," came the muffled response from her neck. "And just so you know: if I _ever_ hear a word about this..."

Shepard nodded, shooting a threatening glare at a man with curled hair and a beard who'd followed them outside. "I know, I know... You'll rip me to shreds..." she added slowly, narrowing her eyes at the man who immediately got the hint and disappeared inside the bar again. "Well then, let's get you home." Shepard paused. "You have a home, right? 'cause I'm not sure Liara and Shiala would let me live in their apartment for even one more day..."

"Pffft..." Miranda waved her hand dismissively as she pulled back. "Of course I have a home, what do you take me for?"

Shepard smiled. Seeing Miranda in this state, her hair tousled and her cheeks flushed, was adorable and she'd have to enjoy it as long as possible because she was pretty sure it wouldn't happen again anytime soon... "Good. Is it far? Can we walk there? Do you need me to carry you?" she asked, her smile turning into a grin.

Miranda repeated her "Pffft" and pointed at a nearby alley. "I've got a skycar! What do you take me for?"

"Right..." Shepard nodded, raising her eyebrow. "How foolish of me... Can you walk?"

Miranda inhaled deeply. "What do you-" But was cut off as she lost her balance, stumbling forward until she felt Shepard's arm swing around her midsection to catch her.

"That's what I thought..." Shepard mumbled and leaned forward to swing her free arm under Miranda's legs and lifting her up in one, smooth motion. "Let's get your car..."

* * *

"And you're sure your apartment is here? I'm pretty sure we've passed this building for the third time now..."

Miranda's eyes narrowed as she looked out of the skycar's window, but then nodded eagerly. "It should be here somewhere..." she mused. "Just search for a tall apartment building..."

Shepard gave a short laugh. "Sweetheart, we're surrounded by apartment buildings..."

"Well, then it must be one of them, smart-ass!"

"I get the feeling you don't exactly appreciate my help here..."

Just as quickly as her annoyance had started, it vanished and Miranda turned in her seat and leaned closer, letting her hand wander over Shepard's body. "Oh, I'm _very_ thankful for what you're doing here..." she purred, kissing Shepard's neck, causing her to almost crash into a passing skycar.

Shepard tried to gently push Miranda back into her seat while still trying to pay attention to where she was flying. "That's great, but could you-" She cleared her throat. "Please, I'm trying to fly here... And that's _definitely_ not... helping!" Shepard almost yelped the last word as she pulled the skycar over at the last second before they could crash into a building in front of them.

Miranda smiled against Shepard's neck and took one of her earlobes between her teeth, turning her head slightly towards the skycar's windshield again. "That's it! Over there! Pull over!" she yelled (way too close to Shepard's ear) and pointed at the apartment building right in front of them.

Shepard whistled. "Nice..."

* * *

"You know, I think I could live here..." Shepard stated as she turned her head from side to side, admiring the apartment's living room.

"M-hm..." came Miranda's (once again) muffled response from her neck while she slid the leather jacket off Shepard's shoulders.

"I love this large window. And the couch in front of it is just perfect! I bet you could sit here for hours, just watching the traffic outside..."

Miranda shrugged her shoulders as she set to take off Shepard's shirt.

"It's just a bit too silent for my taste..."

Miranda gave a short laugh as she pushed Shepard down on the couch, positioning herself on her lap.

"That's not what I mean..." Shepard's eyes were still wandering around the apartment in amazement while Miranda focussed on her neck once more. "It could definitely use some pets..."

Miranda's head rose momentarily, her eyebrow raised. "Pets?"

Shepard shrugged. "Yeah. I was thinking about a varren..."

Miranda rolled her eyes as she lowered her head, attacking Shepard's neck with kisses once more. "Whatever..." she mumbled. There would be time to talk about all of this later. Right now, she was still feeling the effect of the alcohol mixed with the joy of having Shepard back and she was not going to waste it...

"Is that a 'yes'?"


End file.
